What Spanish term describes the thankfulness Mass sometimes held for a quinceañera?

Misa de acción de gracias is the Spanish term for the thanksgiving Mass sometimes held for a quinceañera.

The phrase translates as “Mass of thanksgiving.” In Catholic families, the religious service gives thanks for the honoree’s life and asks for blessings as she enters a new stage. It may take place before the reception and can include family members, attendants, and sponsors.

This Mass is not the same as a wedding or a sacrament that changes the honoree’s legal or religious status. A quinceañera is a cultural and, for some families, religious rite of passage, but it is not one of the Catholic Church’s seven sacraments.

Participation varies by family and country. Some celebrations include a church service, while others are entirely secular or combine religious elements with a civil reception. The Spanish phrase is therefore more precise than calling every quinceañera a church ceremony.