The best source to use for detailed information regarding the crucifixion and death of Christ is the Holy Pascha Book. This book uses all four Holy Gospel accounts, homilies by the early church fathers, and expositions to corroborate the events at each significant moment of this great day. Christ was crucified at 9:00 AM and laid in the tomb at 6:00 PM. Darkness covered the land from noon until 3:00 PM when He died in the flesh. At 5:00 PM, the soldiers went about to break the knees of Christ and the two criminals beside Him because the Jews insisted on completing this deed before the Sabbath begins at dusk. Since Christ had already died at 3:00 PM, the Scripture was fulfilled that none of His bones were broken. At 5:00 PM, He was taken down from the cross, and at 6:00 PM, He was laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Thus, the Church fasts with total abstinence for the same 9 hours prior to partaking of Holy Communion.
Christ was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem according to the Jewish custom. Jerusalem was considered the holy city in the Old Testament because that was where the temple was which Solomon had built according to God's wishes. Many prophets desired and attempted to rebuild the city and its gates. After the coming of Christ and the spread of Christianity to Jews and Gentiles, the former temple no longer had its central focus in Jerusalem. In 70 AD, the temple was destroyed as Christ had predicted.
