Changes

The Philippine Islands were once governed from India. The Sultanate of Maguindanao introduced [[Islam]] into Mindanao in the 15th century. Thereafter Islam spread through the Philippines. Circumcision (''khitan'') is a religiously founded tradition in [[Islam]], so it was introduced into the Philippine culture.

Ferdinand Magellan claimed the Philippine Islands for Spain in 1521. Spain's control of the Philippines lasted until the Spanish-American war of 1898. Roman Catholicism was introduced into the Philippines during the Spanish rule. Christians recognized the harmful and abusive nature of circumcision at the [[Council at Jerusalem]] in 49 A. D. and rejected the practice as unnecessary for Christians. The Roman Catholic Church further repudiated the practice by the ''Bull of Union with the Copts '' in 1492.<ref>{{REFweb