Hot reducing gas is desulfurized by contacting the gas with a desulfurizing agent comprising a bed of porous manganese oxide pellets, then regenerating the spent desulfurizing agent by contacting the bed with a gaseous oxidizing atmosphere and then reusing the regenerated desulfurizing agent under the above mentioned conditions for desulfurizing hot reducing gas. The temperature of the bed of pellets is between about 500.degree. C. and about 1300.degree. C. during both the desulfurization and the regeneration steps.