In a traditional quinceañera, what ceremony often gives thanks for the honoree’s fifteenth birthday?

A traditional quinceañera thanksgiving ceremony is called a misa de acción de gracias.

The Spanish phrase means “Mass of thanksgiving.” In many Catholic quinceañeras, the birthday celebration begins with a church service in which the honoree gives thanks for her life and asks for continued guidance. The service may include family members, the court of honor, and sponsors.

The religious service is not identical in every quinceañera. Some families hold it in a Catholic church, while others have a civil ceremony, a nonreligious blessing, or only a reception. Customs vary across Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Spain, and Latino communities elsewhere.

A quinceañera is therefore both a birthday celebration and, in many families, a cultural rite of passage. The Mass is sometimes confused with the entire party, but the term specifically refers to the thanksgiving church service, not the banquet, dance, or reception that may follow.