Chiesa di Madonna in Campagna, Busto Arsizio

The church of Madonna in Campagna is a religious building in Sacconago, a hamlet in the municipality of Busto Arsizio. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows.

At the time of its construction it stood on the road called in Longù, which connected Sacconago with Lonate and Ferno. The term Longù comes from the Latin longorius, which means "long pole": this is probably because at one time the territory around the church was occupied by woods from which wood was obtained for the production, precisely, of poles.

The church was built on an earlier country chapel, as evidenced by the fact that Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, on a visit to Sacconago in 1582 mentions only the parish church and the church of San Donato, while the church of Madonna in Campagna is found in a document by Giuseppe Pozzobonelli of 1753, referred to as "Beata Vergine Maria in campagna."

Construction of the present church dates back to 1702 and was completed in 1704. On March 23, 1704, Easter Day, it was blessed by Stefano Custodi. The consul of Busto Arsizio Carlo Crespi was also present at the ceremony. The building was decorated with a painting of the Pieta. Cardinal Pozzobonelli described the church in these words, "Barrel vault, tile floor, plastered and whitewashed walls inside, a door in the facade and two small windows on the sides. On the back wall, the painting of Our Lady holding the body of the dead Christ." On the left side of the church facade was a bell supported by masonry pillars.

The Pieta fresco depicts Mary in the center holding Jesus with her right hand, while her left hand is raised and with an open palm. Behind these two figures was a background depicting Golgotha with the three empty crosses. During the restorations ordered by parish priest Don Luigi Caimi, however, it was discovered that originally the background was much simpler: a single red cloth, now brought to light by restorers. The painting dates back to the 15th century, so the chapel preceding the present church was already present in the 15th century.

The sacristy dates from the second half of the 16th century. From a description in 1753 the church appeared to be plastered in the facing and not on the two sides, while the portico that stands today in front of the entrance was still absent, although during the restoration of the church this appeared to be in structural continuity with the main body of the church.

The present bell gable tower was built in 1950 and housed the bell that was donated by residents of nearby farmsteads.

Today the old road in Longù remains only partially beside the church, replaced by asphalt roads made necessary by urban renewal in the early 21st century.