Vow of silence: the shocking truth about Katie Holmes's silent birth (9 photos)

Most of this actor's roles are superheroes saving the world. But in real life, he demanded of his young wife what no man would ever dream of demanding.





Not a single groan, not a cry, not a word of encouragement from the nurses. Katie Holmes's birth was supposed to take place in deathly silence, as required by the Church of Scientology, which Tom Cruise fanatically adhered to. Katie Holmes was a Catholic before meeting Cruise, but the movie star converted her to his faith.



Their relationship developed like a Hollywood fairy tale. A happy Katie Holmes said in an interview that as a child she dreamed of marrying Tom Cruise, and Cruise said he was ready to get engaged after their first date.

They got engaged a few months after they met, followed by a wedding in an Italian castle and the birth of their daughter, Suri. But behind the picture-perfect facade, life was lived according to a strict script, written by Cruise and the Scientologists.





Monitoring began from the first days of pregnancy. Cruz, following the established practice, purchased a portable ultrasound machine and personally monitored the fetus's development, ignoring doctors' warnings about the potential harm of such amateur work. However, the main challenge was not the endless examinations, but preparation for a perfect birth.



Katie was denied the right to pain relief or even a simple moan. It was believed that any sounds would "burden the soul" of the child. The medical staff was also forbidden from speaking. They communicated with each other through notes and gestures. Tom Cruise himself was the enforcer of the rules, and he later proudly declared that Katie had done a brilliant job.

Tom Cruise and representatives of the Church of Scientology denied conducting a silent birth, but reporters managed to film posters being brought into Tom Cruise's estate with rules for silent births and quotes from L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, who coined the concept of silent birth.

Tabloids also reported that no one was allowed to speak in front of the baby during the first week. A Church of Scientology spokesperson called these reports pure fiction.



After Suri's birth, Katie's life turned into a beautiful but stifling prison. Her every action—from work contracts to meetings with friends and even hugs with her own daughter—was regulated and monitored. Traveling around the city was only possible with the accompaniment of Scientologist "assistants."



Katie Holmes planned her escape as a secret operation. Taking advantage of Cruise's absence, she enlisted her father's support and, after changing several SIM cards to avoid being tracked, fled with her daughter to an unknown destination. Her divorce filing came as a complete surprise to Tom. He genuinely couldn't understand what his wife could possibly be missing in this, from his perspective, perfect life.

The official reason for the divorce was "irreconcilable differences in raising Suri."



13 years after her divorce, Katie Holmes is leading a quiet life, entirely dedicated to her daughter. Her elopement wasn't a whim, but a fight for her own mental health and the right to raise a child without pressure. Holmes left Scientology. She doesn't give interviews or speak publicly about Scientology or her ex-husband. Actress Leah Remini, who left the Church of Scientology around the same time as Katie Holmes, spoke of Cruise's role in the church hierarchy:

Criticizing Tom Cruise is the same as criticizing all of Scientology. Anyone who does so will immediately be labeled the ultimate evil.



The symbolic conclusion of this story was Suri's coming of age. Upon entering the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, she officially renounced her father's surname. She is now Suri Noel. This gesture brought an end to a story in which the silence in the delivery room was only the beginning of a decades-long conspiracy of silence.