Item 32.1 Section 1350 Certifications










                        CERTIFICATION OF PERIODIC REPORT
                        --------------------------------


               I, Aldo C. Zucaro,  the Chief  Executive  Officer and the interim
Principal  Financial  Officer of Old  Republic  International  Corporation  (the
"Company"),  certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

(1)       the  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q of the Company  for the  quarterly
          period ended September 30, 2004 (the "Report") fully complies with the
          requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act
          of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)); and

(2)       the information  contained in the Report fairly presents the financial
          condition and results of operations of the Company.


Dated: November 8, 2004



                                                   /s/  Aldo C. Zucaro
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                   Aldo C. Zucaro
                                                   Chairman, Chief Executive
                                                   Officer and Interim Principal
                                                   Financial Officer