hryhoriy yakhymovych was born on 16 february 1792 in podborce (today pidbirtsi), a town in the region of galicia, a part of the polish-lithuanian commonwealth. he went to school in lemberg (modern day lviv in ukraine), which had since been incorporated into the austrian empire, and was ordained on 14 september 1816. during 1818-1819, he served as a parish priest at a greek catholic church in vienna, while he was studying at the higher scientific institute for diocesan priests at st. augustine's. he would go on to earn doctorates in theology, philosophy, and the liberals arts from the institute. he returned to galicia in 1819, working as the head of the department of religion at the newly reopened university of lemberg. he continued to work at the university for most of his life, and was a professor of pedagogy from 1825, and a professor of theology from 1837. during his tenure, he was appointed as a canon in 1835, and as rector of the lemberg theological seminary in 1837. yakhymovych was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of the archeparchy of lviv by pope gregory vi in july 1841. he was consecrated on 21 november of that year by the metropolitan of lviv, mykhaylo levitsky. he was appointed bishop of the ruthenian catholic eparchy of przemyśl, sambir and sanok on 5 september 1848, and consecrated on 25 march 1949.