Cruise's silent signs

Film

13:30 28 March 2006

Tom Cruise's pregnant fiancée Katie Holmes will reportedly give birth amid huge white signs reminding her to stay silent.

The actress has allegedly agreed to deliver her baby in total quiet in accordance with a bizarre Scientology tradition.

Katie and Tom - a long-standing devotee of the sci-fi cult - have had posters spelling out the former 'Dawsons Creek' star's labour rules delivered to their home.

Friends - who are thought to be Scientology elders - have been photographed carrying the placards through the gates of the couple's plush Los Angeles mansion.

One of the 6ft signs reads: "Be silent and make all physical movements slow and understandable."

Scientologists believe the strange ritual should be carried out to prevent children from turning mad.

Founder, L. Ron Hubbard, tells his followers in his book 'Dianetics': "Maintain silence in the presence of birth to save both the sanity of the mother and child and safeguard the home to which they will go.

"The maintaining of silence does not mean a volley of 'Sh's', for those make stammerers."

(C) BANG Media International