UNITED STATES
SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 1)*

Sovereign Bancorp Inc.
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock
(Title of Class of Securities)

845905108
(CUSIP Number)

December 31, 2008
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

[ ] Rule 13d-1(b)

[X] Rule 13d-1(c)

[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

Continued on following pages Page 1 of 5 Pages


SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.: 845905108 Page 2 of 5 Pages
................................................................................

1. Names of Reporting Persons.

 I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).


 NORGES BANK (CENTRAL BANK OF NORWAY)
................................................................................
2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

 (a) [ ]

 (b) [ ] N/A
................................................................................

3. SEC Use Only
................................................................................

4. Citizenship or Place of Organization

 NORWAY
................................................................................

Number of 5. Sole Voting Power 10,132,118
Shares
Beneficially ................................................................
Owned by Each
Reporting 6. Shared Voting Power 0
Person With ................................................................

 7. Sole Dispositive Power 2,727,685
 ................................................................

 8. Shared Dispositive Power 0
................................................................................

9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

 10,132,118
................................................................................

10. Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See
 Instructions)

 N/A
................................................................................

11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

 1.53% based on 663,942,180 shares outstanding.
................................................................................

12. Type of Reporting Person:

 OO


CUSIP No.: 845905108 Page 3 of 5 Pages


Item 1(a). Name of Issuer:

 Sovereign Bancorp Inc. (the "Issuer").

Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
 1500 Market Street
 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19102
 USA

Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing:

 This Statement is filed on behalf of each of the following
persons (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"):

 NORGES BANK (CENTRAL BANK OF NORWAY)

Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:
 Bankplassen 2
 PO Box 1179 Sentrum
 NO 0107 Oslo
 Norway

Item 2(c). Citizenship:

 Norwegian

Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities:

 Common Stock

Item 2(e). CUSIP Number:

 845905108

Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to ss.ss.240.13d-1(b) or
 240.13d-2(b) or (c),

 Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

 This Item 3 is not applicable.

Item 4. Ownership:

Item 4(a) Amount Beneficially Owned

 As of 31.12.2008, Norges Bank may be deemed to be the
benficial owner of 10,132,118 shares.

Item 4(b) Percent of Class:

 The number of Shares which Norges Bank may be deemed to be the
beneficial owner constitutes approximately 1.53% of the total number of Shares
outstanding (based upon information provided by the Issuer its most recently
filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q), there were 663,942,180 shares outstanding
as of 31.10.2008.


Page 4 of 5 Pages

Item 4(c) Number of Shares of which such person has:

NORGES BANK (CENTRAL BANK OF NORWAY)

(i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 10,132,118

(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 0

(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 2,727,685

(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 0

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the Reporting Person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [X].

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person:

This Item 6 is not applicable.

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:

See disclosure in Item 2 hereof

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

This Item 8 is not applicable.

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group:

This Item 9 is not applicable.

Item 10. Certification:

By signing below each of the Reporting Persons certifies that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.


Page 5 of 5 Pages

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

NORGES BANK

Date: February 17, 2009
 By: /s/ Robert Cook
 ----------------------
 Name: Robert Cook
 Title: Compliance Manager

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