Ελευθερία ή θάνατος , Freedom or Death - Bishop Germanos of Patras at the Monastery of Agia Lavra Today's the day we celebrate Independence Day! The Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which commenced in 1821 and eventually led to the establishment of an independent Greek state. Why this day is important Greece had been a part of the Ottoman Empire since 1453. Through the years the Greeks had a growing feeling of oppression and unrest against the Turks. Two main fac