A Mass may take place before a traditional quinceañera celebration.
This service is often described as a thanksgiving Mass, or Misa de Acción de Gracias, in which the quinceañera gives thanks for reaching her fifteenth birthday. The service can include prayers, readings, music, and a blessing.
The religious ceremony is not universal. Quinceañeras are celebrated in many cultural and religious settings, and some families hold only a civil ceremony or a reception. The format also varies by country, parish, and family preference.
A Mass should not be confused with the reception that follows it. The reception commonly includes formal entrances, a meal, speeches, dancing, and symbolic presentations. The church service and the party together form the familiar modern pattern, but neither has one mandatory worldwide script.