What Roman Catholic service is often held for a quinceañera as a thanksgiving celebration?

A quinceañera’s Roman Catholic thanksgiving service is called a misa de acción de gracias.

The Spanish phrase means “Mass of thanksgiving.” In communities where the celebration has a Catholic connection, the quinceañera and her family may attend a church service before the reception. The service gives religious meaning to the birthday and may include prayers, blessings, readings, and a presentation of the celebrant.

This service is not identical to a sacrament. A quinceañera is a cultural and family celebration, not a sacrament such as baptism, confirmation, or marriage. Some families include a church service, while others hold only a secular ceremony or reception.

Customs vary by country, parish, and family. A reception may feature music, a formal entrance, a court, symbolic gifts, and dancing, but none of those elements is required everywhere. The thanksgiving Mass is therefore a common Catholic component rather than a universal rule for every quinceañera.