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                                                                      EX-99.CERT

                  COMPASS CAPITAL APPRECIATION VARIABLE ACCOUNT

         CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT

 I, Richard M. Hisey, certify that:

 1.  I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Compass Capital Appreciation
     Variable Account;

 2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

 3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
     assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include
     a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods
     presented in this report;

 4.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the
     registrant and have:

         a.   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
              such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
              our supervision, to ensure that material information relating
              to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is
              made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
              during the period in which this report is being prepared;

         b.   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
              controls and procedures and presented in this report our
              conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
              and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
              date of this report based on such evaluation (the "Evaluation
              Date"); and

         c.   disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
              internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
              the registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's
              second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that
              has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
              affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
              reporting; and

 5.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the
     registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

         a.   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
              design or operation of internal control over financial
              reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
              the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and
              report financial information; and

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         b.   any fraud, whether or not material,  that involves management or
              other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
              internal control over financial reporting.


Date: August 25, 2003                   RICHARD M. HISEY
      ---------------------------       ----------------------------------------
                                        Richard M. Hisey
                                        Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer
                                        and Accounting Officer)

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                  COMPASS CAPITAL APPRECIATION VARIABLE ACCOUNT

         CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT

 I, John W. Ballen, certify that:

 1.  I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Compass Capital Appreciation
 Variable Account;

 2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
     statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
     were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
     report;

 3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
     assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include
     a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods
     presented in this report;

 4.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the
     registrant and have:

         a.   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
              disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
              supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
              registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
              known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
              the period in which this report is being prepared;

         b.   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
              controls and procedures and presented in this report our
              conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
              and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing
              date of this report based on such evaluation (the "Evaluation
              Date"); and

         c.   disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
              control over financial reporting that occurred during the
              registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's
              second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that
              has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
              affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
              reporting; and

 5.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the
     registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

         a.   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
              design or operation of internal control over financial
              reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
              the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and
              report financial information; and

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         b.   any fraud, whether or not material,  that involves management or
              other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
              internal control over financial reporting.


Date: August 25, 2003                   JOHN W. BALLEN
      ---------------------------       ----------------------------------------
                                        John W. Ballen
                                        President (Principal Executive Officer)