Beirut --  Lebanese have joyfully welcomed the American pontiff, turning out in their thousands to his public appearances and lining streets where his motorcade has passed, waving Vatican flags and sometimes ululating or throwing rice in celebration despite intermittent rain.

"You are called to be builders of peace: to confront intolerance, overcome violence, and banish exclusion, illuminating the path toward justice," Pope Leo told 16 leaders from Lebanon's 18 officially recognised religious denominations.

"In an age when coexistence can seem like a distant dream, the people of Lebanon, while embracing different religions, stand as a powerful reminder that fear, distrust and prejudice do not have the final word, and that unity, reconciliation, and peace are possible," he added.

The event in a marquee in Beirut's Martyrs' Square near several mosques and churches included a reading from the Koran and remarks by leaders from Orthodox churches and the Sunni, Shiite, Druze and Alawite communities, who also emphasised the importance of coexistence.

While long hailed as a model of tolerance, Lebanon was devastated by a 1975-1990 civil war along sectarian lines and is still plagued by deep rifts.

Leo arrived from Turkey on Sunday on his inaugural visit abroad as pontiff and brought a message of hope, particularly to young people in Lebanon whose faith in their crisis-hit country has dwindled.