Rite of passage
WordNet
noun
(1) A ritual performed in some cultures at times when a individual changes his status (as from adolescence to adulthood)
WiktionaryText
Noun
- a ceremony or series of ceremonies, often very ritualized, to celebrate a transition in a person’s life. Baptisms, bar mitzvahs, weddings and funerals are among the best known examples.
- Examples: After John officially attained his majority, Robert bought him his first legal beer. This is a common American rite of passage.