But before we break out the party poppers, we should note that, like every revolution, this one has a loser: the local church.

The American Center for Law and Justice has gathered 173,000 signatures on a petition seeking an executive order. Seventy-three members of Congress have joined the request, saying in an Oct. 25 letter to the president, "In all branches of the military, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Christian chaplains to use the name of Jesus when praying."

The factions competed for volume with cheers and jeers as a black taxi carrying the newly registered couple made its way through the gates of City Hall at about 11am.

Veteran civil rights campaigner and friend of the couple Eamonn McCann was at the ceremony.

"It was a very joyous and heart-warming ceremony," he said.

Like everyone else I hope they go on to have a long life of happiness."

I am looking at a book called What Every Christian Should Know about Islam, published by the Islamic Foundation. So far as I know, it presents an orthodox account of Muslim belief. It says that Mohammed was probably illiterate, and that the Koran was therefore dictated by him from memory after he had received it in visions.