Item 32.1 Section 1350 Certifications










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


         I, Aldo C. Zucaro, the Chief Executive 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the fiscal year ended
         December 31, 2005 (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:  March 1, 2006

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