SPRINGFIELD - Visitors to the Illinois State Capitol may be greeted by a religious icon this December.

A Lincoln man has received approval to erect a Christian Nativity scene depicting the birth of Jesus inside the Capitol Rotunda, near the doors of the governor's budget office.

Daniel Zanoza, a freelance writer and political activist, received permission to place the exhibit in the facility from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, whose office manages buildings in the Capitol complex.

The display's purpose is two-fold, Zanoza said. Along with celebrating Christmas, he said its presence in the Statehouse is aimed at showing others that religious displays shouldn't be banned from public buildings.

"Some people believe that religious liberty is under assault in this country," Zanoza said.

The display, however, has drawn the attention of the Illinois office of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is reviewing the state's policy regarding religious articles being placed in state buildings.

"Before I want to say anything, I want to make sure our folks get a chance to sort through this and get a good sense of what's going on," ACLU spokesman Ed Yohnka said.

It's not the first time religious displays have been erected in buildings managed by the state of Illinois.

In 2004, the administration used a legal maneuver to allow a menorah to be placed in the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago in observance of the start of Hanukkah. A menorah also was erected in the Capitol building in Springfield that year.

A large artificial Christmas tree has had a place in the Capitol Rotunda for years during the holiday season.

Zanoza said he has already lined up an attorney in case there are challenges to his plan, but he hopes that doesn't happen.

"I'm personally not looking for any legal battle," Zanoza said. "We don't want to offend anybody."

White has an "open policy" when it comes to allowing displays in the building, agency spokesman Henry Haupt said.

"We want to accommodate everybody," Haupt said.

Guidelines for exhibits, whether religious or not, center on keeping high-traffic areas from getting clogged and marble floors from getting marred.

Haupt says the Nativity scene is different from a permanent display of something such as the Ten Commandments because it is privately funded and temporary in nature.

It will be in the Capitol from Dec. 2 through Dec. 28, pending a successful fundraising effort to buy the display, Zanoza said.

Under Secretary of State's Office rules, the display must be no taller than 4 feet and no wider than 8 feet wide. No live animals may be used.

kurt.erickson@lee.net|789-0865