MADISON, Wis. -- A nine-year quest by the Wiccans to have their religious symbol recognized by the federal government ended on Monday under a settlement agreement.

The U.S. Veterans Administration agrees under the settlement to allow the five-pointed star on gravestones of veterans in national cemeteries.

The pentacle joins 38 religious symbols already allowed by the VA covering such religions as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism.

VA spokesman Matt Burns said that the government wanted to settle in the interest of the familes involved and to save taxpayers the expense of litigation. The lawsuit filed in November was scheduled for a trial in June in federal court in Madison.

One of the plaintiffs was Wiccan organization Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld. Selena Fox of the Circle Sanctuary said that she feels the agreement puts Wiccans on equal footing as other faiths.

"We have our emblem of belief on that list fully equal with all the other emblems and our religion totally equal with all the other religions in America," she said.

The lawsuit was scheduled for a June trial in federal court here in Madison, WISC-TV reported.