What Catholic religious service is traditionally held for a quinceañera before the reception?

A Catholic quinceañera traditionally begins with a Misa de Acción de Gracias, or Thanksgiving Mass.

The service gives the honoree and her family an opportunity to thank God for her life and to seek blessings for the next stage of her development. In many communities, the Mass is followed by a reception featuring music, food, formal dances, and symbolic presentations.

The religious service is not universal. Quinceañeras are also celebrated in non-Catholic settings, and some families hold only a secular ceremony or reception. The name of the service can also vary by parish and country, so it should not be confused with the ordinary Sunday Mass or with a wedding Mass.

The celebration itself is a cultural tradition rather than a sacrament. A quinceañera does not create a new Catholic sacrament or formally change a person’s legal status; the Mass is a devotional part of a broader family observance.