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                                                                 EXHIBIT 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: February 23, 2004               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, Robert J. Manning, 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: February 23, 2004                  ROBERT J. MANNING
      -------------------------          --------------------------------------
                                         Robert J. Manning
                                         President (Principal Executive Officer)