THE VIRTUES OF THE BYZANTINE EMPEROR (II)

The emperor must guide his subjects, so that they are not carried away by the cares of daily life and do not forget to express their due gratitude and reverence to God by participating in the liturgical life of the Church. According to the narrator of the Book of Kings, the bearer of imperial authority should also display his pious disposition publicly, since in this way he will, through his own personal example, encourage his subjects to lead a pious life. At the same time, he will embellish his image in the conscience of his subjects and reinforce the feelings of respect that they hold for him. As the appropriate means for achieving this aim, the narrator of the Book of Kings proposes the participation of the emperor in the liturgical life of the
Church.

Konstantinos Paidas, The Theoretical Model of the Ruler in the Historical Work of Joseph Genesios "On the Reigns" (Peri Basileion), Byzantina Symmeikta, vol. 26, pp. 218-219