What type of ceremony is often held alongside a Catholic quinceañera celebration?

A Catholic Mass is often held alongside a Catholic quinceañera celebration.

The religious service may be called a thanksgiving Mass, or misa de acción de gracias, because it gives thanks for the celebrant’s life and asks for continued guidance. The Mass is an associated custom, not a universal requirement for every quinceañera.

After the service, families may hold a reception with food, music, speeches, dancing, and symbolic gifts. Some celebrations are entirely secular, while others take place in Protestant, other Christian, or nonreligious settings.

A quinceañera Mass is not a baptism, confirmation, or wedding. It is a separate service connected to a fifteenth-birthday tradition, and its exact prayers and practices can differ between parishes and countries.