Mayor Rahm Emanuel will lead a delegation of more than 80 city and state officials to Rome witness the elevation of Archbishop Blase Cupich to cardinal. View Full Caption DNAinfo file photos

CITY HALL — Mayor Rahm Emanuel Wednesday defended his trip to Rome to witness the elevation of Archbishop Blase Cupich to cardinal, a trip paid for by a business-advocacy group that gets taxpayer money.

With the mayor set to leave Thursday afternoon with an 80-member delegation that includes civic, faith, elected and business leaders, as well as students from two Catholic high schools, Emanuel said no taxpayer money would be used to cover the cost of the trip for the mayor, his wife and staff.

Private donations raised by World Business Chicago will pick up the tab, as first reported by the Tribune.

The organization — which works to spur economic development and create jobs in Chicago — got $1.2 million from the tax the city levies on hotel stays, according to city records. Emanuel is the chairmain of the group.

The inclusion of Cupich among the most senior members of the Roman Catholic church is a "special moment" for all of Chicago, Emanuel said.

World Business Chicago will also pay for a reception for Cupich at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to Rome, Emanuel said.

"I'm proud of this moment for Chicago," Emanuel said, adding that the celebration of Cupich was especially important after the election of Donald Trump, who has promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, build a wall between the United States and Mexico and force Muslim immigrants to register with federal authorities.

"At a time when voice of intolerance are being accepted, we have a cardinal who speaks to tolerance," Emanuel said. "This is a great moment for Chicago."

Cupich will become a cardinal Saturday and a celebratory Mass will take place Sunday.

The delegation will also include Gov. Bruce Rauner, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Police Supt. Eddie Johnson and former NBA star Isiah Thomas.

Rauner and Durbin are paying for the trip out of their own pockets, according to their staffs.

Despite his new role, Cupich will continue to serve as the leader of the 2.2 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties, where he is heading an effort to overhaul the Archdiocese of Chicago's 351 parishes and 229 schools.

Pope Francis named Cupich to replace the ailing Cardinal Francis George as archbishop of Chicago in 2014 in his first major appointment in the American church.

Cupich's predecessors were also named cardinals within two years of being named Chicago archbishop.

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