Hispanic Culture - La Fiesta de Quinceañera:

Many make a big deal out of 18th or 21st birthdays and other coming of age rituals. But for the teenage girls of Mexico, elsewhere in Latin America (and many here too), la fiesta de quinceañera (15th birthday party) is THE big day, sometimes resulting in a huge celebration that sees the entire community involved.

At St Peter Claver Catholic Church (and School) we have an active and engaged Hispanic community. To celebrate a young girl’s 15th birthday, many of these families will hold a special Quinceañera Mass in the church first. It is at this Mass that the soon-to-be young lady is presented before God and she makes a promise to honor herself and her faith before her family and friends. While this is not a Catholic sacrament like Baptism or Confirmation, it is a very significant cultural ritual with deeply symbolic meaning to mark a special moment in a young girl’s life.

Afterwards, everyone heads over to a big celebration with music, food and dancing in a beautifully decorated Mother Katharine Drexel Center. These are always happy times on our campus!

You can find out lots more about this beautiful custom in this article at Culture Trip.

Anna Bruce (C) Culture Trip