hryhoriy yakhymovych was one of the leading figures of the ukrainian national revival in the mid 19th century. he took part in the "council of ruthenian scientists", and advocated for use of the ukrainian language in schools and in churches. yakhimovich was appointed as a deputy to the diet of galicia and lodomeria, the parliament of the kingdom of galicia and lodomeria. in this capacity, he defended the rights of the ukrainian population in galicia, promoted the ukrainian language and the preservation of the ukrainian cyrillic alphabet, and also the byzantine rite of mass. in reward for his service to the austrian empire, he was awarded the title of baron. he was sometimes called the "spiritual ruler of the ukrainian state".