Final answer:
A rite of passage is a ritual marking a person's transition from one social status to another, consisting of stages of separation, transition, and incorporation. These rites can encompass both religious and secular events.
Step-by-step explanation:
A ritual that marks a transition in status or identity is called a rite of passage. These are special rituals that help individuals transition from one social status to another and are commonly associated with significant life events like birth, puberty, marriage, and death. The process was first identified by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in 1909, who divided the rite of passage into three stages: separation, transition (also known as liminality), and incorporation. During the liminal period, individuals may be dressed in special attire, perform unique behaviors, and receive instruction or special knowledge to prepare them for their new roles in society. The final stage, incorporation, involves a formal reintroduction to the community with a new social status, often marked with a change in clothes, names, or other symbols of their new identity.
Not only religious, these rites can also be secular in nature, such as graduation ceremonies or a quinceañera. They play a vital role in structuring society by marking and facilitating transitions in a person's life cycle, whether they are religiously significant events or not.