From the day of his election on the 13th March until Easter Sunday 2013, Pope Francis engaged in a whirlwind three weeks that included addresses at many of the most important liturgical, ceremonial and media events in the life of the Catholic Church. In his first addresses, reproduced here in their entirety, Pope Francis has immediately set a tone of profound simplicity and humility for his pontificate. The addresses are prefaced by a short history of the conclave which elected Pope Francis and a brief biographical sketch written by leading Catholic journalist Peter Jennings.