Fifth Wednesday Evening of the Great Fast

Stichera at "Lord, I have cried," Plagal of Tone 4

Verse: Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.

Idiomelon.

I, wretched man, fell among the thieves of mine own thoughts, and my mind have they robbed and plundered, striking me cruel blows. All of my soul hath been wounded grievously; wherefore I lie outstretched, naked of virtues, on the highway of life. Seeing me in bitter pain, the Priest thought my wounds beyond cure, and he turned his face to one side and would not look upon me. Beholding my soul-rending agony, the Levite could not endure it, and he crossed to the other side and passed me by. Not from Samaria hast thou come forth, O Christ God, but it was thy good pleasure from Mary to be enfleshed. In thy great love for mankind, do thou grant healing unto me and pour out upon me thy great mercy.

Verse: I cried unto the Lord with my voice, with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
(Repeat the above idiomelon)

Verse: I poured out my supplication before him, I showed before him my trouble.

Martyrikon.

If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, rightly are these things ascribed to the Saints; for they bowed their necks beneath the sword for thee who didst bow the heavens and come down; their blood they shed for thee who didst empty thyself and didst take the form of a servant; they humbled themselves unto death, imitating thy poverty. By their prayers have mercy on us, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy compassions.

Verse: When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.

Prosomia Apostolika, by Joseph.
Special melody: Lord of all, though standing before the tribunal

Lord of all, thou hast made thy sacred Disciples * as living heavens endowed with speech. * Thus, by their holy mediations * save me from the evils of the earth. * And do thou raise up my thoughts * through abstinence to understand * thy Passion, since thou hast great compassion * and thou art the Lover of mankind.

Verse: In the way wherein I walked have they secretly laid a snare for me.

All of us have as helper the fasting-season * to aid us in doing godly deeds. * Let us therefore weep with our whole heart, * and unto the Saviour let us cry: * By thy Disciples, O Lord, * O thou of mercies manifold, * save those that in reverence sing the praises * of the greatness of thy love for man.

Verse: I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no one that would know me.

Prosomion Apostolikon, by Theodore.
Special melody: The glorious and immaculate

O ye Apostles greatly-praised, * intercessors for the world, * ye physicians of the sick * and preservers of good health: * keep watch over us both on the left and the right * as we make our way through the season of the Fast; * that with one another we may dwell in godly peace, * with mind undisquieted * by the passions' disarray; * so that all of us may sing * unto Christ, who, as one victorious, hath arisen up.

Tone 4

Verse: Refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul.

Prosomia of Compunction, by Symeon the Translator.
An acrostic of the Greek alphabet.
Special melody: Fain would I wash away the handwriting

All of my life have I spent with harlots, * and I wasted it with publicans in extravagance. * How shall I then, even in mine old age, * draw nigh to repentance, I who have greatly sinned? * Maker of all that existeth * and healer of those in sickness: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

I am weighed down with the heavy burden * of my heedless negligence and wallow in filthy mire. * I have been pierced by Belial's arrow, * and thine image which is in me have I defiled. * Thou that convertest the heedless * and that redeemest the sinners: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low.

Unto men am I a block of stumbling; * I the earthborn tilled the ground in planting of earthly things. * By thy command was I joined in marriage, * but, transgressing, I have defiled the marriage-bed. * Thou that from earth didst create me, * do not despise thine own creature: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

The executioner of mine own soul * am I now become, for I have taken thought for my flesh. * I have become a plaything of devils, * and to lustful pleasures have I been made a slave. * But spare me in thy compassion, * thou who dost banish the demons: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name.

Willfully have I sinned more than all men, * for which cause I am forsaken and am left powerless. * I possess as my soul's adversary * a mind bound to carnal thoughts, which doth darken me. * O Light of those in the darkness * and Guide of those who are straying: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: The righteous shall wait for me, until thou recompense me.

My soul shall live, O Lord, and shall praise thee. * Thus the Prophet spake; wherefore do thou seek me out, O Lord, * who am thy lost sheep, gone far a-straying, * and number me among those that are of thy flock. * Grant me a time for repentance, * that, sighing, I may cry to thee: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.

I have sinned, I have sinned, disregarding * and rejecting the commandments which thou, Christ God, hast made. * Graciously look on me, Benefactor, * that I may gain sight to see with mine inner eyes * and may escape from the darkness, * so that in fear I may cry out: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

Savage and wild beasts of prey surround me, * but, O Master, do thou snatch me out from among their host, * for thou dost will that all find salvation * and that they should come unto the knowledge of truth; * and with all men do thou save me, * O thou that art my Creator: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: If thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? For with thee there is forgiveness.

Be thou my healing, O Benefactor, * my Redeemer and my Saviour, and cast me not away. * Look on me lying in my trespasses, * and as the Almighty One do thou raise me up. * Thus shall I too make confession * for all my deeds, and cry to thee: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Because of thy name have I waited for thee, O Lord; my soul hath waited upon thy word, my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

I hid the talent entrusted to me * like the foolish servant, and I buried it in the earth. * For this cause have I been judged as useless, * and I dare no longer to beg pardon of thee. * In thy forbearance take pity, * that unto thee I may cry out: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel trust in the Lord.

Thou didst dry up the sources of sufferings * of her that had an issue of blood when she touched thy hem. * If with unswerving faith I approach thee, * I too shall receive the forgiveness of my sins. * Like her, receive thou me also, * and heal my pains and distresses. * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption, and he will deliver Israel from all his iniquity.

Upon thy throne shalt thou soon be seated, * O thou who didst form the heavens and the earth by a word. * Soon shall we all come to stand before thee, * and all of our sins shall then be revealed to thee. * Before that dread day arriveth, * receive me who am repentant. * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Praise the Lord, all ye nations; praise him, all ye peoples.

Look with compassionate eyes upon me * and be merciful and gracious, O Saviour, unto me. * Grant to my soul, which is poor and wretched, * flowing streams of waters of healings and of cures. * Wash me clean from the defilement * of my deeds, that I may chant thus: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: For his mercy is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.

Belial hath made ready his weapon, * seeking to ensnare my humble soul, O Compassionate. * And he hath made me to be a stranger * to the light of the knowledge of thy countenance. * O thou of sovereign power, * snatch me out of his entrapments. * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Unto thee have I lifted up mine eyes, unto thee that dwellest in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, as the eyes of the handmaid look unto the hands of her mistress, so do our eyes look unto the Lord our God, until he take pity on us.

I am enslaved wholly by the passions; * I forsook the Law and the Divine Scriptures utterly. * Heal me entirely, O Benefactor, * who becamest like me for my sake, O Good One. * Turn me back, O full of mercy, * thou that destroyest the passions. * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.

Verse: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for greatly are we filled with abasement. Greatly hath our soul been filled therewith; let reproach come upon them that prosper, and abasement on the proud.

The harlot, who with her tears did moisten * thy most honored feet which are pure and immaculate, * urgeth all men to make haste unto thee, * that they may receive the remission of their sins. * Grant her faith also unto me * who cry out to thee, O Saviour: * Save me before I utterly perish, O Lord my God.