I was concerned that you only cited a secondary source, but then noticed the link at the end, which turned-out to be invalid, perhaps unbeknownst to you. I want to respond to some of your claims.
A community of Coptic monks went to Gaul where they founded a community on an island called "Lerins" in the Mediterranean Sea . The island was nearGaul.
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That may be true, but can you cite any primary sources supporting the claim?
David Marshall, Ph.D. of the University of Hull, England, has written a book which discusses the strong connection between the St. Patrick and the Coptic Monks in Lerins.
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I wonder if he has any primary sources supporting his thesis.
During this time , there were not many Christians in Ireland and the British Isles in general, but Christianity was foundt there that is, before the time of St. Patrick.
At the time of St. Patrick, the Pelagian heresy was in Britain. When Pope Celestine sent Germanus of Auxerre and Lupus of Troyes to combat the Pelagian heresy in Britain, St. Patrick went with them. Germanus thought Patrick would make a good apostle to the Irish, and sent him to Rome.
The writers and philosophers, Origan and Hippoluus of the third century, wrote that of those who attended the First Ecumenical Council, "Nicea Council", there were people from the British Isles.
Christianity in Britain can be traced back as far as the third century. The bishops of London, York and Lincoln were present at the Council of Arles in 314, and signed the acts. [Mansi 2:476-7].
Saint Athanasius, in the opening of his "Apology" against Arias, also alludes to certain British bishops who participated at the Council of Sardica. [PG 25:249].
Saint Prosper's "Chronicle" [440] relates that the deacon Palladius was ordained by Pope Celestine, and sent as first bishop to the Irish believing in Christ. [PL 51, 595].
The Egyptian Church had many monks in Lerins.
I wonder if there are primary sources supporting the claim.
quote author=EkhristosAnesti link=topic=8481.msg112156#msg112156 date=1142684889] St. Patrick, of the Celtic Church, was born in Britain and was a Roman citizen he later became a corner stone of Christianity in the British Isles. St. [/quote]
St. Patrick was born of a British father, the deacon Calpurnius, and a Gallic mother at Bonavem Taburniae, the precise location is disputed. At age 16, Patrick was abducted to Ireland, but escaped after six years. (Confessions, PL 53, 801 sq. Cf. Tripartite Life, Ed. Stokes, Rolls Series 89, p. 9 sq.).
Patrick wrote his autobiography, Confession. When he was sixteen, the army of the Irish King Niall, attacked the Britons. Patrick was captured. He was then taken then to Ireland and was enslaved. Later, he was able to escape and sailed to Gaul . Later he went to the Island of Lerins, where the Egyptian Coptic monks lived.
What primary sources (if any) do you have showing that St. Patrick went to Lerins, and that there was an Egyptian Coptic presence there? I'm not saying this isn't true, I am just curious what your sources (if any) there are.
St. Patrick lived with these monks learning the "Coptic Christianity of Egypt". The Coptic Church originated directly from the Church of Jerusalem, rather than from Rome and was also not like the Byzantine Church.
I am going to need primary sources supporting the claim that St. Patrick learned Coptic Christianity.
Dr. David Marshall writes that the "Celtic Christianity owes something to the Copts." Patrick's residency with the Coptic monks on the Island of Lerins, "accounted for his independence of Rome. St. Patrick prefered follow true orthodoxy.
St. Patrick was not independent of Rome. When Pope Celestine sent Germanus of Auxerre and Lupus of Troyes to combat the Pelagian heresy in Britain, Patrick went with them. Germanus thought Patrick would make a good apostle to the Irish, and sent him to Rome.
An Irish writer called the "Scholiast of St. Fiacc 's hymn" depicts Patrick as studying the sacred canons under Germanus. Germanus told him:
"Go then to the successor of Peter. that is, Celestine, so that he may ordain you, for that office belongs to him." [Ed. J. Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, Louvain 1647, p.5].
That Patrick went to the Pope in Rome under the order of Germanus, is confirmed by a ninth century Frankish monk named Hericus of Auxerre.[Bollandists, Acta Sanctorum IuIii 7:259].
Later sources contain similar remarks. The Vita Quarta of St. Patrick states that Germanus sent Blessed Patrick to Rome to seek permission from the Pope, and it says Patrick wanted to visit Rome. [ Ed. Bieler, SLH 8:77, 130-31].
In the last century, the Bollandists published a codex from Brussels containing Mauirchu's Life of St. Patrick. Chapter four mentions how Patrick went out "to visit and honor the Apostolic See [Rome]"... [Ed. E. Hogan. AB 1 (1882), 552].
Saint Patrick prached the Catholic faith for six decades in Ireland.
Irish annals mention St. Patrick's mission from the Apostolic See [Rome].
The Four Masters writes: "St. Patrick was ordained to the episcopate by the holy Pope Celestine I, who ordained him to come to Ireland to preach, and give the Irish precepts of faith and religion." [ RHS 3:98].
The Annals of Ulster note that in 431 "Palladius was ordained bishop of the Irish by Celestine, bishop of Rome...in 432, Patrick reached Ireland [in the first year] of Pope Sixtus [432-440], forty-second bishop of the Roman Church..." [ Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores 4:1].
The Historia Britonum, generally attributed to Nemesius [c. 800 AD.] states Patrick went to Rome and stayed there a long time to study. [Nenni Historia Britonum, 50-51. English Historical Society, 1838, pp.41-42].
The Book of Armagh depicts Patrick as giving this exhortation to the new concerts of Ireland:
"From the world, you have passed on to paradise. Thanks be to God. Church of the Irish, indeed if the Romans, in order that you be Christians as the Romans are, at every hour it behooves you to sing that praiseworthy phraise: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison". (Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy)...[liber Ardmachanus, fol.9].
Probus, author of a medieval Life of St. Patrick says the latter went to see the Pope. [SLH 8:196-7].
The Book of Armagh includes this canon to Patrick:
"If any extremely difficult case arise..let it be referred...to the chair of the archbishop of the Irish...if however such a case cannot be settled in that see...we have decreed that it should be sent to the Apostolic See, that is, to the Chair of Peter, having authority of the city of Rome..."[liber Ardmachanus, fol. 21, verso].
This canon was repeated by an Irish synod [630], according to one of its members Cummian the hermit. [PL 87:973-4].
If you are trying to give the impression that St. Patrick was not in communion with Rome, the sources do not support you. St. Patrick was a true Orthodox Catholic Christian who honored the bishop of Rome. But he was not a Roman Catholic in the Vatican 1 sense.
...After the death of St. Patrick Rome turned against the Celtic Church, because he had organized it according to Coptic teaching. Were in the Liturgy and Baptism because the Egyptians followed the Church of Jerusalem and not Rome.
I am going to need some evidence for this claim. As a missionary accredited by Rome, St. Patrick urged the converts of Ireland to imitate Roman practice. The Book of Armagh depicts him giving this exhortation to his new converts:
"From the world, you have passed on to paradise. Thanks be to God. Church of the Irish, indeed if the Romans, in order that you be Christians as the Romans are, at every hour it behooves you to sing that praiseworthy phraise: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison". (Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy)...[liber Ardmachanus, fol.9].
Rome was worried about the rapid growth of the Celtic Church in Ireland and Britain and its expansion to Europe. The Roman Pope sent Augustine and eighty Benedictine monks to the south of England in order to counter the Celtic movement. By mid 598AD, Augustine had established a base in Canterbury. Thousands from the Celtic Church were rebaptized again- in the Church of Rome.
Really? Let me tell you about Rome and Irish Canon Law.
The Book of Armagh includes this canon to Patrick:
"If any extremely difficult case arise..let it be referred...to the chair of the archbishop of the Irish...if however such a case cannot be settled in that see...we have decreed that it should be sent to the Apostolic See, that is, to the Chair of Peter, having authority of the city of Rome..."[liber Ardmachanus, fol. 21, verso].
As I said above, this canon was repeated by an Irish synod [630], according to one of its members Cummian the hermit. [PL 87:973-4].
Source: http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~er719/patrick.html#Main
Non-operational.