A Mass often precedes a traditional quinceañera reception.
In Catholic families, the religious service is commonly called a quinceañera Mass, or misa de acción de gracias. It gives the celebrant and her family an opportunity to offer thanks and receive a blessing as part of the fifteenth-birthday observance.
The Mass may include special readings, prayers, music, and the presentation of symbolic items. Afterward, families often hold a reception with food, dancing, speeches, and the court’s formal presentation.
A Mass is not universal. Quinceañeras are celebrated by people from different religious backgrounds, and some families hold only a secular party or use another religious service. The important distinction is that the reception and the religious ceremony are related parts of a tradition, not identical events.