What religious service often begins a traditional quinceañera in Catholic families?

In Catholic families, a traditional quinceañera often begins with a Misa de acción de gracias, or thanksgiving Mass.

The service gives the family an opportunity to express gratitude for the celebrant’s life and to ask for blessings for the next stage. It is a religious component, not a wedding: the quinceañera does not exchange marriage vows or become married through the ceremony.

After the Mass, families may hold a reception with food, music, speeches, a cake, and formal dances. Some celebrations omit the Mass because the family is not Catholic, because the event is secular, or because local customs differ.

The phrase acción de gracias means “thanksgiving.” English descriptions sometimes call the service a quinceañera Mass or simply a thanksgiving Mass. The exact order of church rites and reception customs varies by parish and country.